Projects My Model "T" Hot Rod Project Progess Photos

I've decided to start posting the build of my project as I make progress all in one thread.

You might have seen a picture of this body in the latest Street Rodder magazine, under "Bill Ward's Home Garage" where the caption reads " the other roadster was a tall T coupe that was cut down in the 1950's and ran a 425 nailhead". I bought the body from Bill Ward about 2 months ago after selling my Model A Pickup Cab, and he told me that the body really was a hot rod in the 1950's. That's pretty cool.

Anyhow, here goes...

After I got the body back to my shop, I tossed it together for an inspirational mock-up with a Model A frame I bought from a friend and fellow HAMBer, "Du$ty", I bought a few days after picking up the car...





The seat is the rear seat of a '66 Mustang Fastback and it fits perfectly...


The doors I believe are from a pickup, and have what appears to be an old Shell gas station logo, but I can't quite make it out. Looks like it was repainted with another logo, then repainted red over it again...





The frame was good, but had no front crossmember and the horns were tweaked...



I started to box the frame with some scrap I had laying around and wanted to get the front section done while I awaited a new '32 style dropped crossmember...





The front crossmember showed up and I got it welded in...





I got a Model A axle dropped by HAMBer "296v8". His work is great and he's fast. I threw the front end together with a donated front spring from HAMBer "DreddyBear".



You must have noticed there is a motor between the rails. That's my 292 Y-Block just sitting there to put the weight on the front end before everything gets welded up...



The carb & intake hasn't been on a car since '64. Note the cut down front filter to clear the hood on a T-Bird. The carbs are 97's and they are in perfect condition. Original Eelco linkage atop a polished Edmund's 3x2 Intake...



Front Brakes & spindles are '42 and have original FORD reman tags on them. All perfect condition. I still need to drop the arms to clear the axle and get the bent '47 wishbones above the tie rod.



I had some friends over the other night and we tossed the body back on the frame so that I could get some rough measurements before I install some '36 rear radius rods, and Z the rear of the frame to clear a stock T transverse leaf spring behind the '58 Ford 9" truck rear end.











The car looks like this as of right now. I'm awaiting material to finish boxing the frame rails completely, awaiting hardware for the rear spring & suspension, and awaiting a Hurst front motor mount. I have to fab some transmission mounts, cut down the driveshaft, and figure out if my Gemmer steering box is going to clear the motor before continuing my quest of speed. Although I enjoy seeing gorgeous fabrication and attention to detail on hot rods, I'm building this one for me, just as it would have been built long ago, with old parts, shit I could find laying around, and function over form. I'm a true believer in letting the car tell me how it wants to be built.

Plans call for all patch panels to be installed, pinched door tops, black pleated door panels, and shiny red laquer paint on the body. I'm have a '60-61 Chevy Truck dual clutch/brake firewall-mounted master cylinder and Ansen Swing Pedals. Homemade steering column with 17" Bell wheel. Original Dash with vintage SW gauges. Motor will be recieving a lopey Cam, Headwork, and Valvetrain goodies from John Mummert and Ted Eaton. Transmission is a stock truck 3-spd until I can locate a 4-spd. Going for that early 50's salt car converted to early 60's street/drag car look and so far all parts are 1962 and older with the exception of the seat and new hardware. Updates as they come...thanks for looking.

 

Thats going to be a cool car! I never would have thought I would like a T coupe with the roof cut off, but I think it looks really cool...Good luck!

 

Welcome to the "T" Club!!!

T coupes look sooooo cool with the tops cut off! Case in point, this one and Von Franco's Gold T!

 

Nice start, great motor. I'm really looking forward to more progress pics.

 

Thanks guys

 

Man, that looks like it rolled out of a 63 HOT ROD Annual!

 

the seat and engine choice are perfect!

 

works for me, keep em comming

 

lQQKz sweet dude...

 

this ride should have plenty of patina!1 looks good !!

 

thats a great idea for the seat........

 

Patina now, blasted & painted in laquer soon.

 

Nice work and that seat is a great fit!

 

A Y-block powered T coupester that involves Dusty sounds like trouble...might want to pick up a couple backup motors

Looking good!

 

Cool project!!!

 

Funny how the frame for my Y-Powered T Coupster was bought off Du$ty, who's previous car was a Y-powered T Coupster! Du$ty and I are good friends and we're both building Ford roadsters, and swapping parts & ideas. Hopefully both of our cars will be on the road around the same time, showing people what's it's really about, proving you can do it yourself with little money and simple tools, kicking ass and taking names.

 

I like it, You can almost hear it roar!

 

Nice me like.

 

First On Race Day...brotha!
fuck the haters!

 

Gemmer boxes are easily narrowed to clear the engine by shortening the sector housing just like they do with the popular F1 box. Here's a link to a tech post I did a while back on the one I have in my AV8:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199148&highlight=gemmer+steering

 

cool project,i like the old y block.

 

That's way cool.

 

Thats what I was referring too! I remember he went through a couple Y-blocks before he found a good one.

I aint hatin' on nuthin!

 

Looking good Jeremy!

 

Thanks guys for the kind words... it motivates me to get it on the road as fast as I can!

Progress has slowed down because I'm waiting for some parts. I got my Hurst motor mount on the motor, and now have to build some mounts on the frame aqnd build a center crossmember/Trans mount/Radius Rod Mount. I'm also looking for a stock T firewall to replace the warped sheet that some asshole stick welded to the cowl. I still need to climb up into the rafters of my warehouse and hang my chain hoist up there so I can lift the body on & off easier by myself, but that chain hoist is a heavy SOB and my ceilings are 16' high so thats a task in itself.

The Motor, Trans, Front Suspension, & Rear Suspension should be completely installed in the chassis by the end of the month, and the car will be a roller. I'll need to figure out the steering, then move on to positioning the body & re-doing to floor subframe to get it sittin pretty. Everything else is pretty easy, the brakes are firewall mount swing pedals, hydro clutch, wiring will take me a day, plumbing the brakes will take a day. Gotta figure out what to do about a gas tank. Then finish the body modifications and drive the dry-rotted tires off the son of a bitch!

Updates to come soon.

 

eye like it. one of the cooler versions of a coupester i have seen

 

heres what ya do...quit getting arrested...finish that p.o.s and come up here and finish my car while i play on the internet and watch adult swim.

 

T's are the best. Want to get mine a little farther along!

 

Good looking welds...if the rest of the build is as well done this is going to be an awesome project.

 

Great workmanship and design. Perfect engine choice, too. Good luck with it. John